The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-02-04

they were all safe on board we tried to
hoi.t the boat in and she broke in two
with her o. weight; now she ever lived
as long as she did is q mystery.
Captain Hitchcock told me they
rowed as long as they could after leaving
the ship, with the intention of getting
into smoother water beyond the Gull
Stream. aud he had thought that in case
l fell in with the other boat l would do
Just as had done The two cabin pas
sengers took their share of the labor with
the rest They were both young men.
with difference of perhaps five or six
years in their ages, and had been travel
ing in Europe, the elder of the two being
tutor for the younger, who was the son
of prominent citizen of New York.
They took passage at Leghorn for New
York, and when their turn came to enter
the long-boat they had done so without
complaint, and had borne the privations
of the night and day as cheerfully as any
one else.
GAN day they had watched and hoped,
hoped and watched, but there was no
sign of sail. The night threatened to
be cold, and there was little expectation
that any of the party would live till
morning, even If the boat continued to
float. As the sun neared the horizon
the younger man was lying in the bot
tom of the boat, wrapped in his over
coat aad blanket, while the elder sat
in the stern with the captain.
Just as the sun was dipping into the
waves, the elder of the twain said to
Captain Hitchcock that, with his per-
mission, he would ofTer prayer. of
course it was given at once. And l
never, in all my life, said Captain
Hitchcock, heard a more beautiful
prayer from the lips of mortal man.
And as he said "amen," and said
''amen' too, raised my eyes and saw
your SAIL
Perhaps" said Captain Raymond to
his group of listeners-''perhaps you'd
like to know the names of those two pas
sengersl They are familiar to you all.
and you'll find them at the bottom of
this letter, which I received, with a sill
yer pitcher, few days after we reached
New York haven't seen it for some
time. until it turned up to-day while
was overhauling my desk It is an old
letter, you see, and was written before
the envelope was invented"
The letter was passed around and
handled with great care. 1t was then
read aloud by one of the group, and
ran as follows:
NEW York, December %, lsi4.
"DEAR SIR: DESTROYS Of testifying our
grateful sense OF the noble disinteresteiness
the 18th of December last in search OF the
captain, passengers, and crew Of the ship
Alabamian. which fOundsred on that day az
sea, and of the kindness we received at your
hands while your guests, we beg your ac-
ceptnnce Of the acc mpanying piece OF plate.
We know that no offering of ours can
add to the proud feeling OF satisfaction
viii h must have animated your bosom when
upon your OWE deck you saw the eighteen
human beings whose lives YOU had saved;
hut we wish you 10 possess some slight token
which in after-days may serve 10 remind
your children ami your friends of how nobly
you did your duty 70 your God and your
fellow-men; and we desire that other ship
masters, melted as well by their own humane
impulses as by the appreciation which so no
biz an at never fails to cal down from the
public, may go and do likewise
"In conclusion. we congratulate you upon
the Opportunity you have enjoyed OF graft
soul we pray that Heaven may shower Its
choicest blessings upon you and yours, and
we beg yol to be assured Of the lasting graft
tnde Of, very truly, Your friends,
EDWARD COOPER, Passengers.
ADRIAN S. HEWITT,
" To CaDfain George d. Raymond, Of the
ssiip Atlanta, of New York
"a day or two after receiving and an
swering this letter" said Captain Ray
mond, Il received an invitation to go to
Mr. ctr Cooper's house, as the family
was very DESTROYS of seeing me. ] was
so busy with the affairs Of my ship that
l could not respond at once, but sent
word that would call on New Years
Lay. When called, and my name was
they did not wait for me to
20 into the parIor, but all came out into
the hall to greet me; the ladies pressed
around me, and l assure you it was
rather embarrassing for young sea-dog
to receive so much attention l had
done nothing more than my duty. and
7omehow felt that was being thanked
and praised good deal beyond what l
I8erited. tried TO tell them so, but they
,souldn't listen to me. and ali the time l
II 5 there they made such a hero of me
that didn't know what to say, and
wondered how l would be able to es-
cape
None of the Cooper or Hewitt family
have ever forgotten me, but, on the
contrary, they miss no opportunity OF
referring to that incident Of the 18th of
December. when the iotos Club gave
n dinner to Mayor Cooper wanted to
come as much as ever wanted to do
ANYTHING in all ny life, and thought |
would do SO; but don't like TO be called
up io1 speech. and knew that Hewitt
or Cooper wonid be surc to have me out
and make me say something; so stayed
away, and saved the club from listening
TO the story of the loss OF the Albanian.
''If you had told that story as you have
told it now.7 said one of the listeners,
s.you would have made one of the most
effective speeches ever made at a dinner
party"
so say we all. "-Harper's Weekly.